Facts and Figures

Full name: Costa Rica 

Nationality 
        noun: Costa Rican(s)
        adjective: Costa Rican

Flag:

Area
        total: 51,100 sq km
        water: 440 sq km
        note: includes Isla del Coco
        land: 50,660 sq km

Population: 4,016,173 (July 2005 est.)

Ethnic groups
        White (including mestizo) 94%
        Black 3%
        Amerindian 1%
        Chinese 1%
        Other 1%

Capital:  San Jose, population 320,000

Largest Cities
        Alajuela - 225,000 
        Cartaho - 135,000
        Puerto Limon - 95,000

Official Language
        Spanish (official)
        English

Religion
        Roman Catholic 76.3%
        Evangelical 13.7%
        Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%
        other Protestant 0.7%
        other 4.8%
        none 3.2%

Political system:  presidential/parliamentary democracy

GDP:   purchasing power parity - $37.97 billion (2004 est.) 

GDP per head: purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.)  

Annual growth: 3.9% (2004 est.)  

GDP - composition by sector:
        agriculture: 8.5%
        industry: 29.7%
        services: 61.8% (2004 est.)

Inflation:  11.5% (2004 est.) 

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